Barnes & Noble e-reader rumored to be merging of Kindle, iPhone
Book seller Barnes & Noble is expected to announce its own e-reader next week, and a new report states the device will sport both black-and-white e-ink and a multi-touch, iPhone-like color display.
New information and photos of the device were provided to Gizmodo, which revealed that a majority of the device will have a traditional e-ink display, much like the Amazon Kindle, which provides superior battery life. It will be a 6-inch screen with an 800x600 pixel resolution.
But the bottom portion of the device will have an LCD color display sporting multi-touch technology. It will be used to browse through and select books in a manner described to be like Apple's own coverflow. The second screen is 480x144 pixels with a 150dpi resolution.
"The choice of two different screens (and techs) on one device serves to overcome the shortcomings in e-ink, which lacks of richness and interactivity; and LCD's eyestrain and battery drain," the report said. "(The LCD will remain inactive while books are being read.) Contrast this with the Kindle which uses the e-ink display to emulate a slow menu system and requires a physical keyboard for searching. Likewise, Sony's e-ink readers with touchscreens layers have reduced visibility."
The purported hardware has only a handful of buttons for flipping pages, searching, purchasing books, and connecting to social networking sites. The new device is believed to have a lending feature that will allow friends to share books and post excerpts to sites like Facebook and Twitter. "But that may be cut before launch," Gizmodo said.
The alleged new Barnes & Noble reader. Credit Gizmodo.
Like the Amazon Kindle, the device is also expected to have connectivity with a cellular data network for the purchase and download of books on the go. The price is also expected to be less than that of the Kindle, with losses recouped through the sale of books.
The yet-unnamed device allegedly had an internal name that was reportedly "terrible," but may change before it is announced.
This week, Barnes & Noble invited members of the press to an Oct. 20 announcement in New York. In its invitation, the retailer touted that it will be "a major event in our company's history." Previously, rumors had persisted that the book store would be selling its own branded e-reader hardware, designed by Plastic Logic.
Apple is rumored to be working on its own tablet device, which sources have told AppleInsider will debut in the first quarter of 2010. Recent reports have suggested Apple is looking to portray the device, at least in part, as an e-reader.
The hardware maker has allegedly contacted publications such as The New York Times and publishers like McGraw Hill and Oberlin Press about making their content available in an upcoming device. And a group led by Time Inc. hopes to create a digital store for magazines to allow them to sell their content on Apple's long-rumored tablet.
New information and photos of the device were provided to Gizmodo, which revealed that a majority of the device will have a traditional e-ink display, much like the Amazon Kindle, which provides superior battery life. It will be a 6-inch screen with an 800x600 pixel resolution.
But the bottom portion of the device will have an LCD color display sporting multi-touch technology. It will be used to browse through and select books in a manner described to be like Apple's own coverflow. The second screen is 480x144 pixels with a 150dpi resolution.
"The choice of two different screens (and techs) on one device serves to overcome the shortcomings in e-ink, which lacks of richness and interactivity; and LCD's eyestrain and battery drain," the report said. "(The LCD will remain inactive while books are being read.) Contrast this with the Kindle which uses the e-ink display to emulate a slow menu system and requires a physical keyboard for searching. Likewise, Sony's e-ink readers with touchscreens layers have reduced visibility."
The purported hardware has only a handful of buttons for flipping pages, searching, purchasing books, and connecting to social networking sites. The new device is believed to have a lending feature that will allow friends to share books and post excerpts to sites like Facebook and Twitter. "But that may be cut before launch," Gizmodo said.
The alleged new Barnes & Noble reader. Credit Gizmodo.
Like the Amazon Kindle, the device is also expected to have connectivity with a cellular data network for the purchase and download of books on the go. The price is also expected to be less than that of the Kindle, with losses recouped through the sale of books.
The yet-unnamed device allegedly had an internal name that was reportedly "terrible," but may change before it is announced.
This week, Barnes & Noble invited members of the press to an Oct. 20 announcement in New York. In its invitation, the retailer touted that it will be "a major event in our company's history." Previously, rumors had persisted that the book store would be selling its own branded e-reader hardware, designed by Plastic Logic.
Apple is rumored to be working on its own tablet device, which sources have told AppleInsider will debut in the first quarter of 2010. Recent reports have suggested Apple is looking to portray the device, at least in part, as an e-reader.
The hardware maker has allegedly contacted publications such as The New York Times and publishers like McGraw Hill and Oberlin Press about making their content available in an upcoming device. And a group led by Time Inc. hopes to create a digital store for magazines to allow them to sell their content on Apple's long-rumored tablet.
Comments
if apple changes the macbook air into a tablet that would be interesting and fitting to the name
Now I have an iLiad but I would trade the 8" of the iLiad for this ereader.
No tablet can deliver the same experience of an e-ink reader.
Book seller Barnes & Noble is expected to announce its own e-reader next week, and a new report states the device will sport both black-and-white e-ink and a multi-touch, iPhone-like color display. ...
This indicates to me that the biggest problem with larger iPhone-lke products, is battery life and power. Otherwise why go to the trouble of including the e-ink portion at all? It seems logical therefore, that if Apple does release a tablet/eReader and gets sufficient battery life out of it, that this product may already be a loser.
People always trot out that nugget about "LCD eyestrain" also but I've never seen anyone quote an actual study on it nor ever heard of a proper scientific study being done. As an avid reader, an owner of tens of thousands of books and an avid device enthusiast that has used most pocket readers that have ever been on the market in North America, I don't personally believe it's anything more than a myth.
Eyestrain is eyestrain, you get it if you use your eyes too much and as far as I have ever experienced, it's the same for paper as it is for LCD screens.
This indicates to me that the biggest problem with larger iPhone-lke products, is battery life and power. Otherwise why go to the trouble of including the e-ink portion at all? It seems logical therefore, that if Apple does release a tablet/eReader and gets sufficient battery life out of it, that this product may already be a loser.
People always trot out that nugget about "LCD eyestrain" also but I've never seen anyone quote an actual study on it nor ever heard of a proper scientific study being done. As an avid reader, an owner of tens of thousands of books and an avid device enthusiast that has used most pocket readers that have ever been on the market in North America, I don't personally believe it's anything more than a myth.
Eyestrain is eyestrain, you get it if you use your eyes too much and as far as I have ever experienced, it's the same for paper as it is for LCD screens.
e-ink also is reflective, rather than emitive so it can be read in direct sunlight. A huge advantage, I think.
Glad to see more e-ink devices, and more competition for the Kindle. Don't know how I feel about the LCD in this device though. Sounds like a screen just for the UI instead of a UI built for the screen.
e-ink also is reflective, rather than emitive so it can be read in direct sunlight. A huge advantage, I think.
I think it's a case of picking the right technology for the right situation. Since any Apple tablet is likely to be a relatively general purpose computer, it needs a screen that is more responsive than e-ink. For something that is a dedicated book reader, e-ink is to my mind clearly the better technology, as you mentioned, due to being able to read it in sunlight with ease.
B&N's idea of mixing the two seems interesting. I'll be interested to see what it does to battery life. I've been extremely impressed with the battery life of my Kindle, especially after I forgot to take the charger with me on a business trip a couple of weeks ago.
If it offers them a better way of searching the store it will be a good thing. That's an area where Kindle is weak, since searching is still an often futile effort since there are still an awful lot of books not available, and the top selling lists don't seem to offer much to me either, since most of the books Amazon seem to sell are either by Dan Brown, or angry Republicans from Fox News!
Eyestrain is eyestrain, you get it if you use your eyes too much and as far as I have ever experienced, it's the same for paper as it is for LCD screens.
Reading in dim light exacerbates eye strain with paper, if you do it for too long. In good light it's not an issue.
I like the idea of this reader with the small LCD for manipulation and the eInk for reading. Wonder how it affects the cost though...
Also where is my new iMac and Mac Mini? Or did I miss a major announcement?
So, we now get Barnes and Noble news too? This isn't about Apple!
You certainly take a very narrow view of the world.
You certainly take a very narrow view of the world.
Last I checked, this is AppleInsider. If I wanted to know what Barnes and Noble was doing, then I'd go to a site about them. I come here for Apple news. This is not Apple news. (Then again, with as much MS, Google, Amazon news that is posted here, I guess I'm mistaken about what this site is for.)
Last I checked, this is AppleInsider. If I wanted to know what Barnes and Noble was doing, then I'd go to a site about them. I come here for Apple news. This is not Apple news. (Then again, with as much MS, Google, Amazon news that is posted here, I guess I'm mistaken about what this site is for.)
When other companies directly compete with apple by producing directly competing products, believe it or not, it effects apple and thus is apple news
Last I checked, this is AppleInsider. If I wanted to know what Barnes and Noble was doing, then I'd go to a site about them. I come here for Apple news. This is not Apple news. (Then again, with as much MS, Google, Amazon news that is posted here, I guess I'm mistaken about what this site is for.)
It also pointing out how long Apple has taken to get in the game IMO. First the iTab was to take on Netbooks now its to take on e-readers. It has a lot to live up to at this point.
But as we all know Apple will do it right and it will all just work at least by the 2nd or 3rd gen.
When other companies directly compete with apple by producing directly competing products, believe it or not, it effects apple and thus is apple news
But there is nothing it's competing against as Apple has yet to deliver.
When other companies directly compete with apple by producing directly competing products, believe it or not, it effects apple and thus is apple news
I don't complain about those news but I think that Apple doen't have any e-ink ebook reader, or any ebook reader.
And no, iPhone doesn't count as a ebook reader.
This indicates to me that the biggest problem with larger iPhone-lke products, is battery life and power. Otherwise why go to the trouble of including the e-ink portion at all? It seems logical therefore, that if Apple does release a tablet/eReader and gets sufficient battery life out of it, that this product may already be a loser.
People always trot out that nugget about "LCD eyestrain" also but I've never seen anyone quote an actual study on it nor ever heard of a proper scientific study being done. As an avid reader, an owner of tens of thousands of books and an avid device enthusiast that has used most pocket readers that have ever been on the market in North America, I don't personally believe it's anything more than a myth.
Eyestrain is eyestrain, you get it if you use your eyes too much and as far as I have ever experienced, it's the same for paper as it is for LCD screens.
eink doesn't use power unless it's redrawing the screen - LCD's always draw power, so when you're staring at eink for hours on end, you're using almost no juice, but LCD is a constant drain. constant drain is not as good a not using power.
why should there be an actual study that says eink is better (less stressful) than LCD. Speaking from personal experience (and that's all I need to know) my eyes start to strain when I'm READING on an LCD. I can work four hours on the same screen and not experience strain.. it's something about reading for long periods. just because you don't have the same problem, doesn't mean a scientific study needs to be conducted. regardless of the findings, you still won't have a problem, and I will. E-ink is the better solution for my eyes (I don't care about yours)
Last I checked, this is AppleInsider. If I wanted to know what Barnes and Noble was doing, then I'd go to a site about them. I come here for Apple news. This is not Apple news. (Then again, with as much MS, Google, Amazon news that is posted here, I guess I'm mistaken about what this site is for.)
Dude the good majority of news here is Apple news shut up, not everything has to be 100%, and is it hurting you that they posted something else? It's not like they decided to hold back some Apple news to post this, so just shut up. If you don't like the topic of the article just don't freaking read it! It isn't that hard to figure out. Stop being a whiner and just move on they posted something about Barnes and Noble, so what? Like I said its not like they are holding back Apple news in favor of posting this
No tablet can deliver the same experience of an e-ink reader.
Agreed. You can't read a book on an LCD or any modern display, besides e-ink.
Personally I think the perfect book reader display is colored e-ink with with the richness of OLED and a decent response time too. Which has yet to be invented.
So, we now get Barnes and Noble news too? This isn't about Apple!
The point is not necessarily if it is ABOUT Apple, but if is RELEVANT to Apple. I'd say this article is.
I like the idea of the LCD touch screen. The elimination of a physical keyboard is definitely a good thing. The ability to offer such things as speedy touch navigation and cover-flow, etc, makes sense.
I don't complain about those news but I think that Apple doen't have any e-ink ebook reader, or any ebook reader.
And no, iPhone doesn't count as a ebook reader.
that depends who you ask. My office mate uses his Touch all the time to read ebooks.
Also: the article specifically cites the Tablet. For those too lazy to read the end of the article:
Apple is rumored to be working on its own tablet device, which sources have told AppleInsider will debut in the first quarter of 2010. Recent reports have suggested Apple is looking to portray the device, at least in part, as an e-reader.
The hardware maker has allegedly contacted publications such as The New York Times and publishers like McGraw Hill and Oberlin Press about making their content available in an upcoming device. And a group led by Time Inc. hopes to create a digital store for magazines to allow them to sell their content on Apple's long-rumored tablet.
whether you agree or not is moot, but AI thinks its apple news because AI thinks its a competing product.
People need to quit bitching about news stories no one is forcing them to read.
that depends who you ask. My office mate uses his Touch all the time to read ebooks.
Yes, and I have used for years a PDA to read books but it doesn't convert PDA's in competing products to e-ink readers.
Also: the article specifically cites the Tablet. For those too lazy to read the end of the article:
Yes, but the iTablet is only a rumor so, Apple doesn't have any product competing with e-ink readers.
Yes, and I have used for years a PDA to read books but it doesn't convert PDA's in competing products to e-ink readers.
it does, if someone buys one for that purpose. If the iPod Touch is a gaming machine, it sure as hell is an e-reader!
Yes, but the iTablet is only a rumor so, Apple doesn't have any product competing with e-ink readers.
Its a rumour website. And the tablet is coming.
AI has reported on the tablet before. This news article is about a product that would, in their eyes, compete with a product they routinely do stories on.
This is a non-issue. Back to topic: B&N in Canada?